


Are We There Yet?

by Katrandom



Series: The Misadventures of Jack & Gabe [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Feel-good, Fluff, I'm not about that life right now, M/M, No Angst, Post-Omnic Crisis, Pre-Overwatch, Roatrips, Sometimes life happens and you just gotta roll with it, farm life, mild swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-09-25 22:41:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9849740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katrandom/pseuds/Katrandom
Summary: Gabriel makes the mistake of agreeing to go on a road trip with Jack. He regrets some things.





	1. Farmers are Wierd

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time I have ever written fanfiction so keep that in mind. This is kind of set between the end of the omnic crisis and before Overwatch but it won't be discussed much. This is kind of an exercise in de-stressing and trying to write. Also most of the the places and events once they hit the middle of Iowa are going to be based from experience.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel underestimated the power of farming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first time ever writing so please excuse my inability to type sometimes. I wrote this as a way to de-stress myself.

Gabriel had been woken up in many ways over the years. Sisters jumping on him, friends dumping water over his head, the loud ass alarm during basic, even gunfire outside his window but none came close to the agony of waking up to NPR blaring from not one, but four different rooms in the house on a Monday at 4:30 in the morning. Gabriel groaned and rolled over as he felt the weight from the other side of the bed shift and get up. “Explain to me again why the fuck you people feel the need to get up before the sun” he grumbles, earning a quiet chuckle from Jack as he gathers up his running clothes. He hears Lucy’s collar jingle as the golden retriever trots in, giving a small woof as Jack pats her head. “Because unlike some people they are not on vacation. And remember you have an hour before you need to get up” he states, racing off to the bathroom before Steve can get there. Gabriel rolls onto his back and sighs as Lucy hops on the bed and starts to lick his hand. When Jack had invited him to meet the family this was not what he expected. He figured that he would be greeted with suspicion and hard looks by aging parents and his little sister. He expected a stereotypical farmhouse with the usual red barn that houses the old tractor you see in little kid’s books with a couple horses. He was wrong. So very wrong. Not only was he greeted respectfully and warmly by Jack’s parents, John and Carrie and his younger sister, Jane; but then he was also greeted by an over excited herd of dogs lead by Lucy, Jack’s golden retriever. He was also greeted by Aunt June and Uncle Clive and their kids Steve, Henry, Judy, Brent, and Lauren. The cousins were crazy to say the least. All of them where between 19 and 26 and had more question then a room full of kindergarteners. Then little old grandma Joan had wandered out behind everyone and gave Gabriel a critical look before walking over to him faster than a lady her age had any right to and hugged him. She had then grabbed him by the shoulders and said that she was so proud of her little Jackie for catching a man like him. The farm that Gabe had imagined was there but it was abandoned on the west side of the property and the barn was being held up by five pieces of lumber and a half dead cottonwood tree. Jack had offered to explore the decerped homestead but Gabe wasn’t too sure that the roof wouldn’t collapse on him. He felt they had had enough buildings dropped on them during the crisis to last a life time. When they arrived the first thing he saw was a beautiful three story house with a full basement that housed the entirety of the Morrison clan. Instead of a red barn and old tractor there were three metal out buildings. One housed the farm equipment and the massive state of the art tractor, another served as a garage and mechanic shop, and the one closest to the road was a machine shop run by Jack’s uncle and cousins where they machined and repaired old parts for other local farmers and manufacturers. They also had two massive grain silos sitting out back next to an old stable that they rented out to a couple in town. Jack and Gabe had made an agreement to stay out there for two weeks and by end of week one Gabe was going crazy. Usually Jack was the calmer of the two of them but once he got around his family he was completely different. The first day they were there Gabe woke up to an empty bed and the screaming of truck tires out on the concourse where Jack and Lauren were having a burnout contest at eight in the morning. After a few days, the cousins started to try and drag Gabe outside and around the farm. First, Judy had offered to show him how to weld over at the machine shop. Gabriel agreed out of sheer boredom and a healthy amount of curiosity. It had gone well until Brent, the asshole of the family, wandered in and decided to mention that if he let the rod on the ark welder to stick to the metal he was working on too long the welder might explode. Gabe nearly knocked over the chunk of irrigation pipe he had been working on as he bolted for the door. Jack had then taken him into the garage where he and Lauren had been working on an old Impala. They tried their best to give him a crash course in auto body repair, but once Lauren brought out the spot welder and Gabe made it out the door so fast he nearly broke a land speed record. He sulked in the kitchen with Jack’s mom for an hour before Jack finally came in and offered to take him out to the pasture and show him the old Model T that was half buried and rusted out there. Jack had pulled out a four wheeler and they headed out. Jack had a little too much fun driving uncomfortably close to the barbwire and going a hair too fast over the hills in the pasture. Gabriel may or may not have screamed when Jack jumped the four wheeler over a dry creek. Despite all the fun they were having Gabe was very ready to leave. He had been ready to leave since witnessing the entire family go into a laughing fit on the second night they were there over a joke that was so bad it made him want to hide in bed and never come out. It had been very unnerving watching a dozen people start wheezing like that because of a duck joke. But today they were finally going to start heading west so they could visit Gabe’s family in LA before they were shipped overseas once more to some new organization they would supposedly be working for. Gabe groaned and rolled into a ball under the covers, causing Lucy to jump off the bed, as he remembered how they would be getting to California. Jack was taking him on a road trip from Bloomington to the Denver International Airport. In theory and according to google maps it would take about 17 hours if they drove non- stop but Jack had other plans. They were taking Jack’s pickup. His truck was a massive blue Dodge diesel that was taller than Gabe and had a cattle guard that looked like it could take Reinhardt out. That was enough to make him nervous but what pissed him off was that it was a manual transmission and he couldn’t drive it. “Wouldn’t it be easier if we could just drive in shifts?” he asked, eyeing the blue behemoth that Jack was currently in the back of. “Gabe” Jack sighed,” I did not buy this truck just to make payments on it while it sits in a garage rusting. If you don’t want to ride in it, you can ride Jane’s old Barbie bike to DIA by yourself.” The sound of the door opening shook Gabe from his thoughts as someone landed on top of him. “Get off” “You were supposed to be getting ready, asshole.” “You said I didn’t have to get up till 5:30, idiot.” “It’s 5:48.” Jack huffed as Gabriel rolled under him to look at the clock. “Well shit.” Jack laughed as he rolled Gabe onto his back and straddled his hips, leaning in for a kiss. Gabriel retaliated by shoving his cold hands under his shirt causing Jack to gasp as he punch him and started a wrestling match. “’Scuse me ladies but I do believe that the door is open and the family is up. So this may not be the time to get frisky.” Brent taunted from the hall causing both men to freeze before Jack got up and slammed the door. He went to reclaim his spot on top of Gabe but the other man had already rolled off and was stumbling around trying to find his suitcase, only to stub his toes against the edge of the bed frame and stuff his face into the comforter to muffle the slew of curses spilling form his mouth. “Nice moves, Casanova.” Jack teased, sprawling out on the bed looking very unimpressed. Gabe looked up and glared at his boyfriend before putting on the biggest shit-eating grin. Jack had no chance as Gabe grabbed the covers and made a Morrison burrito out of him. “Goddamn it, Gabe” Jack tried to yell before he was silenced by another pair of lips on his. “At least warn a guy.” He mumbled as Gabe continued to kiss his face before hopping off the bed to resume the hunt for his clothes. “Where is the fun in that?” Gabe said as he watched as Jack sat up and attempted to free his legs from the covers but his shoes were caught. “Just go get ready.” Jack huffed indignantly before heading to the corner and kicking Gabe’s suitcase out from under the chair that had at least three quilts folded on it, atop which sat a thread bare teddy bear named Goober. “Are you ready? I didn’t hear you come back to get your bags before you jumped me.” “Unlike some lumbering brutes, I move with grace.” Jack snarked, before tripping over Gabe’s missing shoes and hitting the wall. “Right.” “Shut up.” “Make me, Jackie-boy.” He smirked before pulling Jack over to him and into another kiss. “We can still hear you, ladies.” “SHUT THE FUCK UP, BRENT.” Jack yelled before throwing the door open and chasing Brent down the hall. Gabe sighed. He would not miss Brent.


	2. Finally on the Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They finally manage to claw their way out of the house on onto the road.

By the time Gabriel made it down the stairs the house was mostly vacant aside from Carrie in the kitchen and Grandma Joan chuckling as Jack choked Brent out on the living room carpet.

“Having fun, Joan.” He said sitting down next to her to watch the show. Brent was not doing well.

“This is the most excitement I’ve seen since Lucy took Clive’s favorite pants and took off into my garden last year. Clive got so tangled in the tomato vines we had to cut him out with Henry’s hunting knife. Took us an hour to get Lucy out of the cucumbers and we never did find those pants again.” Joan chuckled as Brent nailed Jack in the ribs before Jack twisted his arm behind his back.

“That sounds fascinating.” Gabe mumbled as he stood up and pulled Jack off before he killed his cousin. Brent jumped up flipped both birds and sprinted out the front door. “Alright, tiger, let’s go get our shit together and in the truck, yeah?”

“Not before I break his scrawny little neck.”

“I’m sure your grandma wouldn’t like to watch her grandchildren kill each other.”

“Oh I don’t mind, that turkey had it coming.” She said so matter of factly that Gabe had to do a double take. What kind of grandma encourages murder?

“Okay then. We should probably get the truck packed up at least. Can I trust you not to kill him while you pull around?”

“Nope.” Jack snarled, bolting out the door before Gabe could catch him.

“He gets it from his grandfather.” Joan stands slowly and takes his elbow to lead him to the kitchen. “It gets worse the older they get too. By the time they put my John in the ground he had pissed so many people off that not even the Pastor wanted to be at the funeral. They came anyway because Carrie was catering.”

Gabe looked at her in disbelief, “I’m sorry?”

“Don’t be it was the funniest damn thing seeing so many people there, they looked so guilty until the food came out. John was a good, strong willed man. He just didn’t have the social tact to show it. Luckily Jack does.”

Gabe helped her sit at the table as Carrie rounded the corner. Carrie was a tiny lady especially compared to her son. Barely over 5 feet and the thickest Kentucky accent he had ever heard. He now understood why Jack tended to pick up a drawl when he was upset. What she lacked in size she made up for in personality, a sharp contrast to her husband who had as much personality as a sack of bleached wheat.

“Now I hear y’all think you’re gonna be leaving this fine morning.” she said it like it was a demand not a statement or a question.

“Yes? Jack just ran out to get the truck or at least I hope he did. He might be strangling Brent but the dude had it coming to him.”

“That he did.” Carrie said before turning to the kitchen. What was with these people and murder? “Now are y’all staying for breakfast or is my Jackie dragging you out to the McDonalds?”

“I don’t actually know. I think he said something abo-“

“I said we’re eating in Indianapolis with Charlotte and her husband. Which means we need to hurry up. I am going to see my baby niece if it kills me.” Jack wheezed as he stumbled into the kitchen. He obviously had been double tasking.

“Is Brent okay, honey?”

“Yeah, I just chased him across the concourse. Judy came sprinting out of the shop with the bb rifle and saved his sorry ass.”

“So did you get the truck or just fuck around?” Gabe sighed. He was very ready to leave and not see Brent for a very long time.

Jack planted himself in his lap, still trying to catch his breath. “The truck is in the driveway and ready to roll.” He turned and gave Gabe a quick kiss, ignoring the not so discreet ‘aws’ from his grandma and mother. “We just need to get you stuff in the truck and say our good-byes.”

“Can you bring me down your sheets and towels so they can get washed?”

“Sure, ma, but after that we need to go. You’re not keeping me here for another three hours like last time.” Jack grabbed Gabe’s hand and lead him up the stairs.

“Three hours?”

“Long story. I’ll tell it to you later.”

They gathered what was left of their belongings and Jack stripped the bed. Gabe managed to find his beanie wedged between the wall and the bars of the head board. Jack found his SEP sweatshirt wadded up in the covers along with a rogue sock.

“Is that it?” Gabe said, trying not to let the hope in his voice show too much.

“Yup. Make sure you pee before we go because I am not stopping for that before we get to Indianapolis.”

“Jack, it’s literally only going to take an hour and a half to get there.”

He found himself on the receiving end of the infamous Morrison stink eye, “It takes less than an hour to need to pee and then wet yourself. All you need is the idea and it’s all over.” He growled, it seemed like more of a threat than a statement.

“Alright, I’m going. Literally.” That earned him a firm smack on the ass.

\----

The act of saying good-bye was simple enough but as with everything, the Morrisons took it as a challenge to make it the biggest sob-fest. It was even starting to get Gabriel when grandma Joan gave him a teary-eyed smile before giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek. Carrie was bawling while clinging to Jack, even John’s eyes seemed a little misty as he hugged his son good-bye.

It took them fifteen minutes just to get in the truck and another five to get to the end of the driveway and out onto the highway.

“Your family is crazy. I have never seen someone cry over a pie before.”

“It was good pie, Gabe.” Jack shifted up a gear and the truck jumped forward enough to spook Gabe.

“You are absolutely sure this thing is going to make it to Denver?” He was hanging on to the armrest and the ‘oh shit’ handle above the door. He really did not like the fact that Jack had to drive with both feet. It just wasn’t natural.

“Gabe,” he shifted hard again just to bother his passenger, “if it wasn’t safe do you think,” he puts his foot on the gas early enough to make the engine rev between gears, “I would be driving it with such precious cargo?” He gave Gabe that dreamy eyed look that he knew made him melt every time and then hammered the gas in fourth gear until they hit the speed limit.

“YES!” Gabe almost squealed as Jack put it in fifth and hit cruise control.

“Well then you would be wrong.” Jack placed his hand on Gabriel’s knee in an attempt to reassure him.

Gabe grumbled as he relaxed enough to thread his fingers through his boyfriend’s. They road in silence like that for a while.

“So you said that your mom kept you here for three hours while you were trying to leave? How does that work?”

“Well it is customary for guests to clean up their rooms and help tidy the house before they leave. It started when great-grandma Lela was still around, she wasn’t very mobile so if you made a mess you were expected to at least help clean it up. As the years went by it became customary to help clean the house and finish off whatever special food was made for you. Speaking of which your cinnamon rolls are in the backseat with my cherry crisp.”

“Nice.” Gabe turned around to start digging around in the cooler. It was 7 o’clock and he was going to starve before they got to the breakfast place in Indianapolis.

“Can I have one?”

Gabe turned to give him a glare but was met with big shiny puppy eyes. He half-heartedly grumbled as he dug out another roll and gave it to Jack.

“Do we need to stop for coffee?” Gabe asked around his mouthful of cinnamon roll as they came up to a junction.

“Not a bad idea”

They made a quick stop at a McDonalds drive through and continued their drive with sweet, sweet caffeine in hand. Again, they sat in silence for another couple miles before Gabriel started messing with the radio.

“Please don’t tell me all they have is country music out here.” The despair was evident in his voice as he passed the fourth station claiming to play ‘non-stop country rock’. There was nothing rocking about a big green tractor.

“Yeah, check preset 5. The morning talk show should be over on that one soon.”

The cab was soon flooded with the laughter of the talk show hosts.

“You never finished your story, dude.” Gabe pointed out.

“Oh yeah. Well anyway this tradition started and we would try to clean the night before so we could actually get out at a decent time. The Charlotte moved out and ma was devastated even though she still Jane and I. So, when we cleaned the night before, ma would go out in the middle of the night and make a mess somewhere so she could get some more time with Charlotte before she left. It was usually manageable but then I went into the service and it got worse. She would trash a room and then get mad when I couldn’t stay to help clean because I had to catch a flight. Last time I was home she made such a mess it took us over three hours to clean it. Luckily my flight wasn’t until later but I still wanted to go visit Russel and Terry.” He sounded glum.

Gabe snorted to himself. He had always thought that Jack was joking when he said that he and his friend group where called ‘The Running Dogs’ in high school because they were the best runners on the track and cross country team and because together they were Jack, Russel, and Terry or jack russell terrier.

Jack had nearly passed out laughing when Gabe demanded to see their driver licenses just to make sure they weren’t fucking with him. Luckily they were cool about the whole thing and they still went out bar hopping. They turned out to be really nice guys and told him plenty of embarrassing stories.

He had such an arsenal of stories to share with Ana when they got back to Europe he was excited just by the prospect.

‘ _-my eyes, But I couldn't find a way, So I'll settle for one day to believe in you, Tell me, tell me, tell me lies-‘_

“The hell are we listening too?”

“Fleetwood Mac? This is the classic rock station aka. the best station.” Jack stated as he started singing along again.

This was going to be a long drive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Fleetwood Mac - Little Lies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIYthyp2lto)


	3. Baby Claire and the Pit of Corn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel meets the legendary baby Claire and learns a Morrison secret in the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wasn't what I intended to write but, ya know, things happen.

The rest of the drive to Indianapolis was filled with Jack and Gabe trying to out sing each other. On a good day they could pass as decent singers, a little rough but better than some. Today was not one of those days. They had made a game out of singing as badly as possibly until the other would slap a hand over their mouth or turn the radio down. Cher had been a favorite.

“Oh thank God. We’re close” Jack wheezed through tears after Gabe's spectacular performance of 'Smooth Criminal'. The Indianapolis turn off sign announced that they had three more miles till they arrived.

Gabe sat upright, suddenly very nervous, “Jack, that turn off leads to a main street. Are you actually going to drive this thing through the morning traffic?”

“Yeah? How else are we going to get to the restaurant? Gabe, this is a truck not a tank and I have driven in city traffic before. Calm down.”

Gabriel wasn’t so sure. He himself had only ever driven a tiny ass compact car through the LA traffic and that had been nerve racking. Jack knew what he was doing right? He could maneuver this beast of a vehicle through a sea of smaller cars without crushing somebody, right?

Right?

Gabriel became one with the seat as Jack drove through the city. Every time Jack turned or started moving he moved deeper and deeper into the cloth interior. When Jack finally pulled into the parking lot he relaxed enough to look out the window and help Jack find a big enough parking spot.

“Over there, near the exit.” He flinched at how weak his voice sounded.

“I see it.”

“No, Jack, you just passed it. Wait, what are-? No. NONONONO!” Gabe almost crawled through the window as the radio display flickered to a rear view camera and Jack began to  **back up**  into the spot.

As soon as they parked Gabe was out the door and in front of the truck checking for damage to the other cars. Jack stepped out with a smug look as Gabriel realized that he had perfect spacing on each side with plenty of space for the doors to open.

“How did you-?”

“First lesson of driving a truck: It’s easier to back in to a spot than back out.”

Gabe glared at him as the little magician grabbed his hand and half drug him into the restaurant. There stood a couple holding a baby who had to be the one and only, Claire Anne Jacobs. Jack was all over her before Charlotte could even say hello.

“So, uh, you must be Charlotte and Andy?” Gabe asked while watching Jack spin Claire around, “And I’m going to guess she is the niece I have been hearing about.”

Charlotte chuckled while Andy eyed Jack with discomfort.

“That we are. You must be Gabriel; Jackie has told me so much about you. Now before we get too far let’s get seated. The hostess has been glaring at us because  _somebody_  was running late and we have been standing longer then they like.”

\---

They sat and ordered their meals, carrying a mild and average conversation. Jack wouldn’t relinquish his baby niece for anything. It was adorable until Gabe realized he was getting jealous of the infant for absorbing all of Jack’s attention. He had known his boyfriend had a weakness for kids when they would visit refugee camps but seeing him with his baby niece was different. He got the cutest look on his face when she grabbed his finger. Not that Gabe was any better, as soon as Claire had smiled at him the jealousy faded and he knew he was a goner. Now he just had to figure out how to get her from Jack so he could hold the tiny monster.

“So, gotta know, how did you like they family? Anybody give you any trouble out there?” Charlotte asked through a mouthful of pancakes. Andy gave her an exasperated look as he handed her a napkin.

“Your family is crazy. Brent has a death wish, which is probably not a good thing considering your grandma just laughed while Jack attempted to choke him to death on the rug in front of her. Not to mention that the farm is a huge death trap. Jack tried to give me a heart attack at least three times.”

“Sounds about right.” Andy gave him a sympathetic look before glaring at his wife who was too busy laughing to notice. “I think she tried to kill me on the ATV several times and yet I was still crazy enough to marry her.”

“So you fit right in. Must be the pesticides. They just aren't right.”

“Hey now.” Protested the Morrison siblings as Charlotte dumped half a bottle of syrup on her plate.

“We are not crazy. You two just never grew to understand the joy in being chased through the pastures on a four-wheeler by a mad cow.” Charlotte huffed, not really proving any point. Jack nodded in agreement.

Gabe and Andy exchanged looks as the waitress refilled their coffees.

“You just needed more danger in your life posh city life, Andy.” Jack added cutting off a chunk of pancake.

Andy's face twisted, “Unlike some people I don’t enjoy climbing silos and drowning in corn.” he mumbled causing Jack to freeze mid bite and Charlotte nearly inhaled her orange juice.

“He did what now?” Gabe asked bewildered. How could the guy who decided to ride on top of a bastion unit during a fire fight have nearly died to a pile of corn? He eyed Jack who was now attempting to hide his massive frame behind a tiny, giggling baby “The hell did you do?”

“Well. I, uh. Well you see…” Jack stuttered, muffled by his new baby meat shield. Gabe reached over and took her, relishing the victory of finally nabbing his greatest rival. He poked at her sides to get her to giggle again. Jack looked up sheepishly.

“Out with it.” He placed the object of Jack’s affection on his knee like a puppet and shook her little arms at the mess of a man sitting next to him while putting on his best gruff commander face, prompting a snort from everyone at the table.

“Uh. Did you know that if you fall backwards into a silo full of grain the fall won’t kill you? The real trick is trying not to let yourself sink into the corn and be crushed.” Jack scratched the back of his neck. “Luckily if you have a spotter they can go for help before you asphyxiate and die a dumb and painful death.”

Gabe shot a look at Charlotte who had paled and was taking keen interest in the grain of the table. Jack had become very fascinated in the backs of his hands, even Andy was looking sheepishly at his coffee. All three parties had a look of guilt and embarrassment on their faces. There was something more to that story but now, it seemed, was not the time to discuss it.

\----

They had eventually dropped back into comfortable conversation and ended up staying longer than expected. By the time they started to leave it was nearly 10 o'clock. When they walked out they exchanged farewells, this time with less tears. Jack tried to get away with Claire by sneaking quietly to the truck but Charlotte caught him and Gabe had to swoop in with Andy before they witnessed another brawl.

The two men climbed into the truck and once again Gabe attempted to assimilate into the passenger seat as Jack took a corner a little too fast for his liking. By the time they were back out on the interstate Jack had smacked him several times for gasping and making him nervous.

They rode in relative silence until Gabe finally broke.

“Why did you guys look so guilty after that story?”

Jack sat up a little straighter, his eyes were glued to the road.

“Jack? Are you ok?”

Jack swallowed thickly before sighing.

“I climbed the silo because Charlotte had dared me to. She didn’t know the top was open. She was 11 and I was 8.” He spoke quietly. “When I fell in she had started laughing thinking I was joking. It wasn’t until I stopped screaming that she ran for help.”

“Oh, sweetheart.”

“I was in the hospital for weeks after that. I had fractured ribs because they needed to resuscitate me when the paramedics arrived. It’s been a sore spot with us for a long time. She didn’t know any better, we were just kids. I don’t hold it against her. Hell, I’ve almost died so many times now it’s just another close call to me. But Charlotte…” He paused. “She blamed herself for years until Andy came along and helped her get past it.”

“Then why did he bring it up?’

“Andy has a bad filter. When he starts thinking about something it'll eventually come out and not often at good time. I can't get mad about it really, as you know I'm not too much better.” Jack gave a self-depreciating sigh.

Gabe stayed silent for a moment. “Didn’t think farmers where such drama queens.” he said softly, trying to tread lightly and lighten the mood.

Jack smacked him in the arm.

“Ha ha ha, jerk.” He laughed, “They do a lot of good for each other. Claire has gotten good at covering his slips and he is good at toning her down. Hell, now they have the world's cutest and sweetest baby. I would give up a lot for that.”

The way Jack said that made Gabe really look at Jack. His blond hair wasn’t gelled up in it’s usually fashion, Jack had forgone gel and let his natural cowlicks do the work while on vacation. His sunglasses covered brilliant blue eyes that where made bluer by the corrective contact lens that he always denied having. The bags under his eyes had cleared up over the past couple of weeks making him actually look like the 26-year-old he was. He wore Gabriel’s SEP crew neck sweatshirt over a navy blue t-shirt, worn blue jeans, and a pair of tennis shoes that had seen better days.

Most of all Gabriel looked at his face and the smile he had as he droned on about how cute Claire was. It was then that he realized he had never seen Jack so happy and relaxed. Just the two of them in the truck, Jack and Gabe, not Commander Reyes and Captain Morrison. They were just a normal couple taking a road trip to an airport in Denver not war-hardened soldiers heading to their next omnium in Europe. It was almost surreal. And then another thought hit him.

“You ok, Gabe?”

“I was just thinking.” he began slowly.

“Well that’s dangerous.”

“Hmph. I was just thinking that I have never met a man better than you. Even with all of your stupid flaws and your tendency to run in blind. I have never met a man more dedicated, strong willed, and as kind as you. You treat everyone with respect, you are adorable with kids, and somehow you are the literal embodiment of sunshine. You may possibly be the biggest dumbass I have ever worked with but dammit Jackie, I love you.” He huffed quietly, piano music began spilling from the radio speakers and filling the otherwise silent cab.

“I love you too, Gabe.”

The hitch in Jack’s voice drew Gabriel’s attention back to his face. He intertwined their fingers and squeezed before he leaned over to kiss Jack’s temple. He sat back still holding hands and watched the empty fields speed by.

_‘-Hello, is it me you're looking for? I can see it in your eyes, I can see it in your smile,_ _  
_You're all I've ever wanted and my arms are open wide- ‘__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Corn is fun to play in until it's not.  
> [ Lionel Richie - Hello](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBYnT8JY7sE)


	4. Don't You just Love the Theatre?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The adventure continues with a short guest appearance of an old white conservative dubbed 'Gary".

“Driving through Indiana is boring as hell. How do you live here?” Gabe groused glaring at the notebook in his hands.

“Found Kentucky.” Jack said as he changed lanes to pass yet another semi-truck. “After you get used to the endless fields of the unholy vegetable they call corn; you start to notice other stuff. Where is the cab from?”

“Also Kentucky. What else is there to see all I see are shitty brown and green fields. The hell do you see? Tractors? A rouge farmer wandering through this hellscape he tries to call farmland? Regretting his life choices and waiting until he can pass the farm onto his shitty kids and move to Arizona?”

Jack just looked at him and let out an exasperated sigh. “Wow, Gabe, that was beautiful. Didn’t know you cared so much about a poor, lost farmer’s aspirations. North Carolina.”

“We have that one already.”

Gabriel looked over to find Jack grinning at him like an idiot.

“The fuck are you grinning about, jackass.”

“Just your ugly face.”

“Harsh, Jackie-boy.” Gabe feigned being hurt, placing the back of his hand against his forehead before giving an exaggerated sob. “I thought you loved me.”

Jack snorted, “Drama queen. You realize we still have five hours till we get to our hotel in Iowa right? You need to find more ways to entertain yourself.”

“What do you proposed I do? You seem to be full of good ideas lately.” He said before crossing his arms and directing his best grumpy face at the driver.

“Check the center console.”

Gabe shot him a suspicious look before opening the lid to the console.

“No. Fucking. Way.” 

Jack laughed as Gabe brought out his hidden treasures. Almost a dozen CD cases were there, each with a pristine case. Gabe could have cried when he pulled the ‘Hamilton’ cast recordings out of the pile along with the mixtape.

“Now I will make a deal with you.” Jack began, watching Gabriel practically vibrate in his seat. “We can listen to those as long as you play ‘Grease’ afterword.”

“AHHHHH, WHYYYYY!?” Gabriel nearly dumped the entire pile of CDs on the floor as he threw himself against the seat. He barely managed to save them.

“Because I love it and nothing you can say will change that.”

It was true. Gabriel had spent hours upon hours trying to talk Jack out of his love of that stupid movie. As soon as he thought he was making a breakthrough Jack would give him the biggest smile and say _‘but I really like Sandy from ‘Grease’_. Jack knew every single one of Sandy’s lines in the movie and could do a flawless performance of ‘Hopelessly Devoted to You’ while playing it on piano. Gabe had begun to like the song despite himself, even if it was just the way that Jack sang it. Thinking about his weakness just renewed his hatred for the overrated musical.

“Urrrgh. Fine.”

“Yesssssssss” Jack hissed, pumping his fist in the air.

“Go fuck yourself.”

“Sounds like you’re just punishing yourself now.”

Gabe opened his mouth to retort but knew that he would just be digging himself a deeper hole. He opted to put the CD into the player.

“I get to be Burr, Jefferson, and Lafayette. You get to be Eliza, Peggy, and Mariah.”

“You act like that’s a punishment.”

“You can’t sing Washington’s parts either.”

“Fuck you. You get to be Rizzo then.”

“Fine. Rizzo is better than Danny anyway.”

“And you have to sing ‘Beauty School Drop-Out’.”

Gabe looked at Jack like he had just shot him. “Hell no.”

“Too late.”

‘- _How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore, And a Scotsman, dropped in the middle of_ -‘

\----

They made it through the first act before Gabriel had a dawning realization.

“Jack it is time.” He whispered dramatically, still in full theatre kid mode.

“What.”

“I was warned early in my life that this day would come. The planets have come into their proper alignments. The time has finally come to face my fears and fight my demons. It is [dramatic pause] the ‘go time’.” He stage whispered whilst gesturing dramatically to his lower abdomen.

“Oh my god.”

“It has been a long time coming. I have been training for this my whole life and now you, Jack Morrison, must bear witness to this; my defining moment.” Gabe was wildly gesturing all over in very exaggerated movements causing Jack to double over the steering wheel, laughing.

 “S-stop-p” Jack managed to wheeze which just encouraged Gabriel to continue his monologue.

“No, Jack Morrison, now is not the time for your compassion. It is the ‘go time’. You cannot stop me. Where I go is entirely my choice, or at least if the driver approves, and I must go by myself.” He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes for a moment before turning to Jack and gave him a stoic glance. “Like a big boy.”

At this point Jack had no choice but to pull off. He couldn’t see through the tears in his eyes and seeing the blurry shape of a war hardened hero so serious while monologuing about needing to pee ‘like a big boy’. As soon as they pulled up the gas station Gabe shot out the door like a bat out of hell while Jack tried to recover enough to follow him in. He practically fell out of the truck before locking it and slowly shuffling into the station, earning a few confused look from the other customers as he stumbled through the door.

Jack wandered over to the coolers while he waited. As usual it was lined with garbage beers, energy drinks, sugary drinks, pops, and fifteen different brands of water. He grabbed two of the biggest waters and a shitty energy drink for Gabe before meandering to the counter to pay and wait for his partner.

The crusty old man behind the counter eyed him as he rang up his items but Jack ignored him in favor of a tabloid that sat on the counter with a massive and badly photoshopped picture of Gabriel of the cover with some random UN secretary. Jack snorted as he read the title which boasted that that the war time commander was having an affair with this chic while cheating on his secret girlfriend Ana Amari.

“Damn magazines ain’t got no respect for even a soldier’s privacy.” Grumbled the cashier.

“They don’t have respect for anyone. They don’t even try anymore they just hop on whatever trend is hot and tear them down. They don’t even bother trying to get real pictures, they just make shit up and slam old pictures together.” Jack replied as he picked up another magazine claiming to know what the old strike team was up to. The cover was a mess of stereotypical and almost offensive pictures of random places in each member’s home country. He flipped it open against his better judgement before dropping it back on the counter and covering his mouth. His shoulders shook with barely contained laughter after being confronted with a picture of Reinhardt in a speedo.

“You hear that rumor about the Commander Reyes bein’ gay goin’ around?” ‘Gary’, as his nametag read, half whispered like it was a big secret, “Heard from a friend that he’s been seen with some blond guy at the airports holdin’ hands. Said that blond feller looks familiar. Said he might even look kinda like the captain.” Gary shuffled Jack’s groceries across the counter with a brief snicker. “That can’t be right though because both the commander and the captain have lady friends in the UN. And why would they be together? They hate each other!"

“I had not heard about that,” Jack deadpanned as he glanced towards the figure walking out of the far corner.

"I say it’s a damn shame either way. Reyes and that Amari woman were good.””

“Thought you wanted to respect a soldier’s privacy.”

“Well I-“

“What are we talking about?” Gabe asked, placing an arm around Jack’s waist and pulling him flush against his side.

“We were talking about you how you are cheating on Ana with the UN secretary from Spain, Mariana but are also somewhere in America with a blond dude that looks like me, I believe.”

“Well you know how it is, you get famous and you have to bang every woman that comes within ten feet of you or suddenly catch ‘the gay’ with your best friend.” Gabe huffed as he grabbed the drinks and walked out the door.

Jack chuckled as he looked at the poor cashier’s horrified face. “Your friend was right.” He whispered before jogging after his boyfriend.

Gabe shot him a look, “I just really miss my new love interest who I can’t remember the name of or where I met her. Surely you understand.”

“Oh completely. Now I just need to steal her out from under your nose after using you for my own political gain like the scoundrel I am. I am your biggest rival, remember?”

Gabriel just laughed as he flopped into his seat and buckled up.

“Ah, how could I ever forget the ‘Backstabbing Captain Morrison Tries to Steal Commander Reyes’ Party Date’ fiasco.”

“I was your date and it was the diplomat who was trying to steal me from you.” Jack pouted as he pulled out of the parking lot.

“I know. I know. I can still see Ana’s face when she saw that. I don’t think I have ever seen anyone out laugh Reinhardt.”

“That was the best. She turned so red.”

“Not as red as you though. I thought that you were going to have a coronary right there. You nose bled and everything. You threatened to hunt down the guy who got the picture of your hand on her ass and water board him.”

“It was not my finest moment.” Jack conceded as they turned back onto the interstate. “I’m still surprised they never got any pictures of you slamming me against random things and trying to stick your tongue down my throat.”

“I know Ana has a few of those left somewhere.”

“Try to get those from her. I need them for my photo albums.”

Gabe just laughed at that before he hit the play button on the radio.

_‘-Seventeen. Se- se- seventeen..., Se- se- seventeen…, 1789, How does the bastard orphan, Immigrant decorated war vet, Unite the colonies through more debt?-“_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a friend who love musicals, especially Hamilton, but despises Grease and will glare at me for even mentioning it.  
> Also the tabloids at work piss me off all the time. Just shut up your flashy headlines are all you have. I think Cher has been dying for 7 years now. And the word 'Bombshell" is on every other cover anymore.  
> One more thing. I hate cheating. That shit is horrible. Just break up with them if you find someone else. Not cool. I can handle the fanfics where Jack and Gabe beat the shit out of each other in (semi-fair) fights or think the other one is cheating (they aren't) but outright abuse and cheating are the worst things. It physically hurts me. Stop.  
> [Olivia Newton-John - Hopelessly Devoted to You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzmggUAqePY)  
> [ Frankie Avalon - Beauty School Drop-Out](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njSQVLDl3-s)  
> [ Lin-Manuel Miranda - Alexander Hamilton](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIl1OIGzuDg)  
> [ Daveed Diggs - What'd I Miss](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FPEwPpSyVE)


	5. Making Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack reflects and laughs.

The fields seem to stretch on forever. The brown dirt giving way to the short green stalks of whatever their farmers decided it was the year for. Cattle and other livestock dotted the pastures. Tractors were slowly making their way down dirt roads with trailers and equipment. The air was heavy with the promises of another spring shower. It had already rained once in the last hour though the sun was out and it didn’t last more than a few minutes. This was what Jack loved about the Midwest and what he had wanted to share with Gabriel.

The man in question however was having none of that and instead decided to complain about everything like it was a personal offense. Driving in the country? Tractors everywhere, they were going to get run over. Passing by a small town? Better hurry up before they bring the pitchforks. Getting up before the sun? Not an option when you’re not being hunted down by killer omnics. Driving through the fields? Allergies. Despite the never-ending complaints, Jack still caught him watching the fields with a serene look and even relaxing as he had gotten into the rhythm of farm life.

Jack sighed and rubbed his face. Two more hours until they hit Des Moines. He needs a damn nap, getting up at 4:30 was a mistake but he just needed to move before spend eight hours on his already flat ass. Gabe of course was not restricted by the laws of the road and had slammed an energy drink before promptly passing out. Not that Jack minded. Gabe looked so peaceful when he slept.

Jack cursed quietly as yet another idiot felt the need to drive the speed limit in the passing lane while going around a semi-truck causing another backup. Jack was about ready to put the truck into four-wheel drive and just off road it the rest of the way there.

_Gabe would fucking murder him_. Jack thought, quietly trying to stifle a laugh in his hand.

Gabe had shown enough times over the past few weeks that he had no qualms with freaking out and screaming whenever one of the Morrisons did anything remotely dangerous. Which was hilarious considering he had seen Gabe drive cars through abandoned builds, shoot Bastion units point blank, and jump off a building and into a helicopter. Yet, as soon as Jack had rolled out his beloved motorcycle Gabe had given him a dead stare and walked off.

Jack was itching for his pulse rifle as the semi in front of him got stuck to another semi they were passing, again. It wasn’t even that windy. Where did these people learn to drive? It was a nice, warm spring day but heaven forbid anything go smoothly on the interstate. Jack tensed before glancing over again and relaxing.

Gabriel had made a small sound of discomfort as the light hit his face at just the right angle to hit him in the eyes despite his beanie being pulled over them. Serves him right. Sitting there looking all comfy in his, shockingly not black, but red sweatshirt, fashionably ripped jeans (which Jack didn’t understand) and pristine running shoes. Tucked into himself with the notebook that they had been using to track the states on license plates earlier slowly sliding out of his lap. Jack kept his eyes on the road as he slowly slid his phone from his pocket and snapped a picture. That would be going in the photo album.

 Jack’s photo albums where his pride and joy. Every chance he got he would take picture and send them home for his mom to print and save till he visited. The shoe box of pictures was now resting on the back seat waiting to be sorted into their new homes as soon as he got the chance. His first album had been a gift from his grandma, Lori, who had been keeping albums for a long time.

_“Granny, why do you have so many giant picture books?”_

_“So if I ever need to remember I can do so easier.”_

_“Why would you need help remembering.” Jack asked from his perch on sleeping grandpa Jeff’s lap._

_“Because when you get to be my age you already know so much it’s hard to keep everything in there so sometimes you forget things to make more space.” She laughed with a twinkle in her eyes._

_“Oh. Will I have to forget things too?”_

_“Oh no. You have your father’s big head. There’s plenty of space in there.”_

_“Hey!”_

_Granny Lori just laughed at Jack’s pout, “I also keep them so I can teach other people about what I remember. So that they can remember too.”_

_“Woah! Can you teach me?!”_

_“Of course.”_

That Christmas she gave him his own album that she had started for him. They took close to a hundred pictures before she passed away, each one was special no matter how mundane they seemed.

Jack smiled as he angled his phone so he could get in the picture with Gabriel. He was so going to get smacked for this.

\--

Eventually Gabe began to stir. He mumbled something about spaghetti as he slowly sat up from the position he had slid into.

“Morning, sleeping beauty. How was your nap?”

“Shut up. Too early.”

“Gabe, it is damn near five o’clock. In the evening.” Jack stressed every word while also poking the sleeping bear next to him.

“Still too early.”

“I mean if you want to sleep through dinner…” Jack drifted off saying as Gabriel’s head shot up, eyes wide with the promise of food. “You are an infant, Gabriel Reyes.”

“Am I cuter then Claire?”

“Hell no.”

“Worth a shot.” Gabe yawned as he stretched. A symphony of cracks trailed down his back before he proceeded to pop every joint he possibly could.

“You are a majestic beast.”

Gabe snorted at that as he turned to the back seat to rummage through the pile of who knows what. One wrong move and a mini avalanche started in the backseat of the truck.

“The hell are you doing back there? You better not smash my cherry crispy, dipwad.”

“Well it’s kind of hard to find anything when the guy who packed everything has the motor skills of a four-year-old. Where the hell did you put my computer?”

“Oh excuse me, grand-poohbah. I wasn’t aware that you would be playing a fucking game of Jenga in the backseat. Which laptop?”

“Well unless you want this to turn into Battleship. I would suggest you tell the location of Beelzebub.”

“I still refuse to believe that is what you call your personal laptop. B9.”

“Miss.”

“C6”

“Miss.”

“DD420”

“Why did they let a child into the military, again?”

“Try behind you seat, moron.”

“Bingo.”

Gabe sat back in his seat with a triumphant whoop and his monstrous laptop in hand. Not many people would guess that the great Commander Reyes, who was known for his brute strength and fearlessness on the battlefield, was a gadget geek. He had a small army of electronics, all but two, his phone and personal laptop, where packed carefully into a very well-padded carrying case.

“Believe what you want, Jackie, but Beelzebub is his name and making you mad is my game.”

“You are such a loser.”

“Says the guy who read the entire _Percy Jackson_ series in four days.”

“Hey now, those where good books-“

“And then read all of _Narnia_ the next week for what he claimed to be the fourth time.”

“Rude.”

“Book nerd versus computer nerd. Who will win?’ Gabe cackled before opening his computer and sliding out a piece of paper.

“So your computer is a glorified folder?”

“Well if you don’t knock it off it’s going to become a very fancy bludgeon.”

“Wow, asshole.’

“You love me for it though.”

“Debatable. Are those the direction to the hotel?”

“Yup. You said the reception could get pretty spotty so I printed them out so old man Morrison knew where we were going.” He snickered.

Jack reached over and smacked the back of Gabe’s head, pushing his beanie forward and causing him to laugh even harder.

\--

Less than an hour later Gabriel spotted the sign for their turn off.

“Des Moines exit: five miles.” He announced.

Jack gave him a startled look before his eyebrows pitched together. “What did you just say?”

“Five miles till the exit?”

“No, before that what did you call the city.” Jack sounded thoroughly confused but with a twist of amusement playing on his lips.

“Des Moines.” Gabe said, pronouncing every letter carefully like he was talking to a small child.

Jack burst out laughing.

 “What?”

“Yo-you don’t pronounce the ‘s’ in Des Moines.” He attempted to say. “It’s French.”

Gabe just looked at him with a look of exasperation before saying, “God, I love your dumb ass.”

            --

The two decided to check into their hotel as soon as they arrived. The receptionist gave the two massive, super-soldiers their room keys with a wary look once she checked them in for a single room with a king size bed. She obviously was not being paid enough for this. They both dragged their luggage in before heading out to find a place to eat and waste a little time before turning in.

They ended up deciding on a generic looking bar and grill where they ordered so much food that the waitress had to get someone to help her bring it all out. They also earned a feel sideways looks as they downed enough beer to put down the average man without so much as getting tipsy. Got to love being genetically enhanced. Once they were done scarring the locals Jack drug them through serval different antique places where he and Gabe looked for old albums and other neat looking collectables.

They finally headed back to the hotel after managing to find one old, empty photo album and some very old sheet music. They again passed by the receptionist who gave them a tight smile before ducking behind the counter. Once they were in the room Jack went into the bathroom to shower and brush his teeth while Gabe sprawled across the entire bed and start to channel surf until he gave up and landed on a Disney movie.

“Hey, Jack. Beauty and the Beast is on. You want to watch that before bed or nah?”

“Why do you even need to ask that question?” Jack mumbled around his tooth brush while taking out the contacts he definitely did not wear. Once he changed clothes he walked over to the bed and placed himself directly on top of Gabriel, his hair was still damp.

“Just to be a pain. I’ll go brush my teeth and then I’ll be right out, okay?”

Gabriel had to use all his strength to try and hoist Jack off of him and onto the bed without trying to throw him on the ground. Jack, however, was not being cooperative and instead went limp when Gabe tried to roll him off.

“Oh no I seem to have lost all feeling in my body. What shall I ever do.” Jack droned in a monotone voice. That is, until Gabe grabbed his side and started to tickle him.

“Can you feel that or have your senses disappeared forever. Maybe I’ll have to call an ambulance.” Gabe shouted with maniacal glee at the writhing form under him before placing his face against an exposed side and blowing a raspberry into Jack’s skin.

He could tell Jack was trying to say something but he couldn’t manage to compose himself under the onslaught of tickling hands and bearded kisses. Gabe finally stopped after Jack landed a kick on the night stand and nearly flung it across the room, luckily the lamps were mounted to the walls.

“So while you lay here and enjoy the movie I am going to go brush my teeth.” He stated to the balled up and heaving mess that was still giggling on the bed. “So don’t go to far.”

One of the many nice things about Jack was that he showered at night so they never had to fight over the shower. He was also thoughtful enough to have painstakingly balanced Gabe’s toothbrush over the edge of the counter in such a way that with one wrong move it would fall and land in the toilet. So nice of him. Sadly, Gabriel is faster than the average toothbrush and managed to catch it before it got too far.

Before stepping out he took a quick look at himself in the mirror before he attempted to woo his boyfriend into some bedtime antics.

“So Jack, my wonderful, beautiful, special, perfec- “Gabe halted mid speech. Jack was passed out and snoring in the middle of the bed where he’d left him.

Gabriel sighed as he turned off the TV and all but one lamp before carefully sliding Jack under the covers without waking him. He looked at Jack’s sleeping face once more before turning off the remaining light.. Jack rarely slept this hard and in the few times he did it was always around Gabriel. Even when they were still just friends he was the only one who ever got to see Jack in such a relaxed state. He counted himself lucky as he slid in next to Jack, carefully slipping his arm under that golden head of hair and draping the other over his boyfriend’s sleeping body. Jack tucked himself in closer on instinct, stuffing his hands under his chin and tucking his face into Gabriel’s chest before sighing in contentment.

Both slept with the feeling of warmth and love in their hearts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figure that blizzard gave us all these photos but where did they got afterward? Jack's albums. My mom has a decent sized collection of them. Their is nothing cooler than seeing your parents as kids or seeing baby-you stuffed into a popcorn tin. Those thing know more about us then we do sometimes.
> 
> Thank you for the comments. They mean a lot to me and are what keep me motivated. You guys are so sweet.


	6. Good Morning, Sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What a wonderful morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so short, I just wanted to get something out today. This weekend was a mess. I drove home in not so great conditions, watched a guy's car tear itself apart, stood on the engine of a truck while putting in a windshield, worked a lot, helped move a couch, and drove back. Then I had a couple homework deadlines sneak up and try to steal my kidneys. So enjoy this short chapter.

It was going to be a beautiful day. The temperature was just right. Traffic was slow and quiet on the street below. The birds were shitting on somebody else’s car. However, all of this was ruined the moment a ray of golden sunshine decided to be a dick and land directly across Gabriel’s eyes.

Gabriel rolled away from the offending light and onto the floor with and undignified ‘whump’.  He sat up, disoriented and upset, trying to figure out when the bed had gotten so tall. Standing with a groan he found a rather large, sleeping farm boy sprawled across the entirety of their king-sized bed. Snoring and drooling to his heart’s content on what had been Gabriel’s pillow.

He just shook his head before crossing to the other side of the bed and lying down next to the bed hog. From his position he had a wonderful view of Jack minus the drool that had dried to his face. Gabe reached out and gently ran his fingers through that golden hair before trailing down his shoulder to the small of his back. Jack’s shirt had ridden up below his ribs which put his back and side on full display. Gabe placed his hand onto the warm skin shown before sliding under Jack’s shirt, feeling every breath he took.

Gabe stayed like that for a while starting to drift off once more when a sleepy thought floated by causing him to jump a little. He brought his hand back and stared at both as he tried to process what was going on in his head. He looked back at Jack and his heart fluttered. Groaning, he face-planted into his pillow and shook his head.

He was in love with Jack Morrison. He knew that but now his subconscious is trying to tell him that he was **really** in love with the moron. The kind love that the media would have a field-day with. The kind of love that would make Ana totally laugh at him before hugging him. The kind of love that would make Reinhardt pick him up and laugh while Torbjörn lectured him. The kind of love that made him want to **marry** Jack.

He was so fucked.

As if on que, Jack began to shift and grumble from his spot on the bed. One hand started to slowly glide over the bed to Gabriel’s arm before gently squeezing.

“Morning, sleeping beauty.”

“Shu uhp.” Jack mumbled as he rolled onto his back and stretched giving Gabe the perfect view of his stomach before he pulled his shirt down. “Time ‘s it.”

“I’ll tell you when you start speaking English again, Aurora.” Gabe chuckled as he groped for a phone. Finding Jack’s, he turned the screen on before dropping it back on the bed and scrambling for the bathroom. “Shit. Shit. Fuck.”

“Wha?” Jack rolled over and slapped the covers until he hit plastic. Dragging his phone to him he checked the screen to see three missed alarms. He dropped his phone onto the bed as the shower turned on in the bathroom.

Gabriel was frantically trying to get shower as the door opened and Jack stumbled in, presumably to brush his teeth if the clatter of pill box hitting the floor was any indication.

“Jack, how the hell did we manage to sleep through all of your alarms? You can’t even sleep through a movie much less Billy Joel shouting in your ear.”

“Gabe, calm down we still have time.”

He stopped lathering his hair to peek out the curtain. Jack was leaning on the counter pillbox in hand, staring dead-eyed at his own reflection before looking over at Gabe. “Since when do you not care about schedules Mr. If-you’re-on-time-you’re-late”

“Since I had stuff planned to do in Nebraska before we got to Denver and I rescheduled our flight a month ago.”

Gabe rinsed his hair out as he tried to process Jack’s words. Since when was Jack Morrison, aka the Human Battering Ram, stealthy. That man couldn’t keep a secret from even Reinhardt if he tried much less plan something out a month ahead without Gabe finding out. Unless Ana helped him.

“I can hear you thinking in there. We’ll leave for Omaha after breakfast. I’m going downstairs to raid the breakfast bar if you need me.”

Gabe heard the door to the room close as he grabbed his wash cloth. Jack had actually managed to sneak something like this by him. This was unprecedented. Gabe froze glaring at the shower curtain before breaking out into a maniacal grin. Swiftly, he finished his shower and grabbed the towel. He dug through the toiletries bag for his trimmers and set to work cleaning up his goatee and jaw line. Once done with that he flew through his other routines and shuffled through his suitcase, pulling out a clean pair of jeans, a random band shirt, his dark gray UCLA hoodie, socks, and boxers. Pulling those on, he grabbed his wallet and checked the contents before laying on the bed and contemplating his choices.

Gabe pulled his phone out from under his pillow before pulling up a list of jewelry stores in Omaha.

He was so fucked.

           

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am hoping to go through soon and fix up the previous chapters. I wrote this very quickly just to clear out my head so I know it isn't the greatest. If you see the word count jump it's because I went back and fixed the other chapter.
> 
> Once again thank you for your comments. Everything you leave means a lot to me.  
> [Billy Joel - Why Should I Worry](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-iCBtEkAH4)


	7. Zoo Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack pulls a fast one and Gabe finds himself in a desert.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took me so long. I had a couple classes ending that I needed to finish homework on. I was also having a hard time getting motivated to write this, but here we are. Enjoy.

By the time Gabriel managed to finish getting ready and get to the main floor Jack had already started making friends. Jack was seated across from an elderly couple who looked absolutely star struck despite their breakfast partner still having a bad case of bed head, wearing a pair of the world’s thickest glasses (that he didn’t own), and still being in his rumpled pajamas. The gentleman across from Jack looked to be in his 70s and was wearing a cap that boasted that he had been in the air force. His wife was leaned in across the table enraptured with whatever nonsense Jack was spewing over his cereal.

Gabe grinned smugly as he gathered up his own food and shuffled across the room to the empty chair next to Jack. He unceremoniously plonked down his plate causing the couple to break their attention away from Jack and glare at the intruder sitting across the table.

“So what lies are you telling now, Captain?” Gabriel asked before chugging half of his orange juice.

“Oh, just the usual. Vern and Deanne are both veterans so I thought we could swap a few war stories. Got some good stories about our commanding officers, sir.”

“I hope it’s nothing about me. You know far too much, Morrison.” He grumbled into his toast earning him a laugh and an elbow to the side.

Vern and his wife looked at Gabriel with confusion which then turned to shock and awe as his identity became apparent. The rest of their breakfast was turned into the two elderly people asking questions and looking like a couple of little kids that had just been gifted a puppy. Really not a bad way to start your morning.  
\--

“How is it you can manage to make friends with everyone, even looking like you just got in a pillow fight with a thrift store?’ Gabe grumbles as the walk in the door to their room. Jack immediately heads to his suitcase to change.

“It’s called people skills. I know this is a foreign concept to you but sometimes smiling can do wonders for your image.” Jack retorts as he pulls of his shirt and pants. Gabe takes a moment to admire the view as his partner pulls on a pair of dark blue jeans and a gray shirt from some motorcycling event held a decade ago with the words ‘Stunt Rider’ printed in pealing plastic letters across the shoulders. 

“Smiling is for children and cute dogs.” Gabe huffs, falling back onto the bed. He lays there listening to the jingle of Jack’ belt before the weight of another super soldier lands on top of him. He tries to say something but find his mouth occupied. He hums a sigh into the kiss and they lay there for a few minutes. “So when where we leaving?”

“Actually now would be a good time. Let me just brush my hair and get the bathroom packed up and we’ll go.”

Gabe almost whined when Jack got up but instead of focusing on the loss he starts to re pack their bags and do a sweep of the room to make sure everything is accounted for. He stops by the bathroom to laugh at Jack’s futile attempts to tame his hair before stealing the truck keys and heading outside to repack the truck. He did make a point of walking up to the Dodge much slower than necessary, just in case it was a Transformer that was going to squish him for voicing his dislike during the drive. He gently eased the door open before deciding the coast was clear and started to clean up the mess in the backseat. He then moved his attention to the mess on his side of the floor. The CDs went back into the console, the notebook in the door, trash in the trash bag, and the bag of shit in the back where he could grab it. By the time he was done Jack was walking out of the hotel with the other bag, he hair barely tamed.

“Ready to go?” Gabe asked as Jack practically threw the luggage at him. Something was off, Jack had that faraway look on his face, like he wasn’t sure of something he was about to do. “You ok?”

“No.” He said simply as he swung himself up into the driver seat. He looked like he was ready to start crying and his hands were shaking ever so slightly.

“Jackie.” Jack refused to look at him as he turned the truck on and started toward the interstate. “Jack.” He tried again.

“It’s nothing. It’s stupid.” He choked out.

“It’s not stupid if it has you upset. You’re overthinking something again aren’t you? If you think I am going to be upset about you changing our schedule, I’m not. I’m actually too impressed by the fact that you actual managed to get that past me.” Gabe reassured, putting his hand on Jack’s arm earning a tight smile and a shaky nod from him. “I’m excited to see whatever you have planned. I’m sure it’s going to be great.”

Jack sniffled a small laugh before turning the radio on.

‘Captain Fantastic, raised and regimented, hardly a hero  
Just someone his mother might know  
Very clearly a case for Corn Flakes and classics  
"Two teas both with sugar please"  
In the back of an alley’  
\--  
Gabe somehow managed to pass out again on the drive to Omaha. He managed to get Jack calmed down before he had some kind of breakdown while going 75mph on the interstate. It still amazed him how easy it was to set off Jack’s anxiety. He could be having a great time but as soon as they left where ever they had been Jack would immediately start to overthink everything, it got worse the more he was around people. Gabe would often have to leave Jack alone so he could decompress on his own terms.

Now it seemed they had crossed into Nebraska and where headed to one of Jack’s two mystery locations. Where ever they were going Gabe just hoped there was food, breakfast had been spent talking more than eating.

“Good morning, darling, did you have a nice nap.” Jack said with the worst English accent he could, drawing out the darling more than necessary as well.

“Somebody is in a better mood.” He grumbled as he pushed himself back up into his seat. He popped his neck before looking out the window and seeing a… giant snow globe? “What the hell is that?”

“Desert Dome.”

“A what?”

“That is a desert dome. Welcome to the Henry Doorley Zoo.” Jack stated, a smile plastered across his face as they pulled into the parking lot. Judging by the parking lot it wasn’t horribly busy but it was a Tuesday  
and school wasn’t out yet.

Gabe practically jumped out of the car when they parked. He proceeded to sprint around the truck and grab Jack before he was even on the ground and then run to the entrance with the other over his shoulder. He earned a few weird looks as he vaulted over the curb and placed a very shaken Jack on the sidewalk in front of the admission window.

Jack threw him a look before getting their tickets. “You know you could warn a guy before you carry him across the parking lot of a zoo.”

“Aw, but where would the fun in that be.” Gabe smiled as he took his ticket and kissed Jack’s temple. They made their way into the zoo and Gabe looked up in awe at the giant glass globe in front of him.

“So we have a few places to go. I would like to eat first so we’ll just go to the restaurant first. I suggest we start at the Lied jungle and work our way around, saving the Desert Dome and Kingdoms of the Night exhibits for last.” Jack had his face half buried in the map as he tried to get his phone out of his back pocket.

“Whatever you say, you are the master trip planner.” Gabe smirked as he grabbed his own phone and snapped a picture of Jack struggling in front of the globe fountain.

Gabriel almost had a heart attack when he saw the prices at the Treetop but Jack just laughed as he paid an unreasonable price. The view from the windows was beautiful as they enjoyed their overpriced food. Once they were done they stepped out and headed for what looked to be a small building boasting that it was a jungle. It wasn’t until they stepped in that the heat and humidity hit him. Walking through one side of wall revealed that there was in fact a rather large indoor rainforest that was filled with the shrieking of the monkeys.

“Holy shit.” Was all he managed to say as Jack grabbed his hand and started to lead him through the exhibit. There were massive trees going nearly to the ceiling that were strung with large vines and coated in many different kinds of monkey. A hippo made its way over to an otter infested pool. The walkway sat about midway up the wall, the areas closed off from the jungle held tanks of frogs, snakes, rodents, and bugs. One alcove held a nesting area for bats where Gabe spent a few minute cooing as Jack shook his head fondly, promising a giant bat exhibit at the Dome. Jack at one point had to physically drag Gabe across the short rope bridge that sat next to the waterfall, claiming that ‘it was a part of the experience’, Gabe begged to differ. They spent more than a few minutes watching the tiny squirrel monkeys that seemed to be Jack’s favorite before exiting the building.

“So what do you think so far?”

“I think I need a pet bat.” Gabe stated as he threw an arm around Jack’s shoulders, dragging him closer. “Those things are fucking adorable.”

Jack just laughed at his totally serious face and led him to the aquarium. Gabe wasn’t much for fish but he had to admit the jellyfish tanks where gorgeous. But not as gorgeous as the man standing next to him making faces at a particularly ugly kind of fish that he had earlier claimed to have a face similar to Gabe’s. He may have gotten whacked for that. The penguins turned out to be Jack’s greatest weakness so far. He was almost bouncing as the penguins jumped into the water below. Gabe may or may not have kissed him as a punishment for being too cute. The gift shop was a very dangerous place when Jack was paying, they ended up walking out with two tiny plush sea creatures, one of which found a home on Jack’s head while they meandered to the butterfly exhibit.

“I think you’ll like this one.” Jack said, catching the tiny crab that fell off his head. “I will warn you though, your tough guy appearance won’t last too long in there.

Gabe snorted at the thought, that is, until he was covered in a camouflage of brightly colored wings with Jack furiously snapping pictures. There was something so surreal about this exhibit. It was like being in a fantasy forest. There were colors he had never seen before on some of these butterflies. One giant butterfly decided to land in Jack’s hair likely thinking he was a flower. They both found it rather funny that they had to be checked for butterfly escapees when they were exiting the pavilion.

“Wait.” Gabe stopped abruptly causing Jack to jerk as his arm suddenly was being wrenched out of its socket. “Is that a train?

“Yes. Yes, it is. Do you want to ride the train, Gabe? It takes us through the safari side anyway. Could save us some time walking.”

“Hell yeah, I want to take the tiny train through the safari. Isn’t that every man’s dream?”

“Whatever you want. This will at least make more room for the later events.” Jack said as they sat and waited for the train to come back around.

“You make that sound so ominous. I think I hear the train.” Both men looked down the track and watched as the train chugged up and dumped its passengers. They got on towards the back. As much as they both loved to walk, the safari exhibits where huge. Of course they had to be with the sheer size of the animals that lived there. Jack was absolutely enthralled with the big cats. Gabriel just watched as Jack started rattling of cat facts whenever they saw a lion or a cheetah run through their territories. It was adorable to watch his face light up, all his cares were forgotten and all that mattered was that lion he saw in the water. Gabe may have kissed him again for being so cute.

\--

“You are awfully lovey today, Mr. Reyes. You might want to be careful people might think you’re a big ol’ softie.” Jack teased quietly. He had leaned against Gabriel over by the sea lion exhibits and was now pinned to him. The tiny crab plush was securely tucked into the collar of his shirt.

“Well you see, Mr. Morrison, I have been shown a wonderful time and as such I feel the need to show you that I love and appreciate your kind gesture.” He retorted, ducking in for another kiss. There was a very good reason that they were at the back of the train.

“Well I’m glad to hear that.”

Too soon, it seemed, the ride had come to an end and they had to rely on their own legs. Jack reclaimed his grip on Gabriel’s hand and started to lead him again.

“So now where to? Are we ready to go to the dome yet or?”

“We at the very least need to go to the aviary and the cat complex. I don’t really care to see the gorillas too much. We are also starting to run out of time.”

“Already?”

“We’ve been here for almost two hours Gabe. We still have another place in Omaha to go and then we need to get as far across this state as we can tonight.”

Gabriel just grumbled a little. “We have to come back sometime then. Promise”

“Promise.”  
\--  
The Aviary loomed in the distance. The netting for it cover four acres and the support poles stood high overhead. They entered through the chain entry way and Gabe had to stop. The air was filled with hundreds of birds. Flamingos and ducks stood in the water, cranes whooped overhead, and one of the ugliest and meanest looking birds Gabe had ever seen was sitting on the guardrail of the walkway. 

“Gabe, I didn’t know you had an identical twin.” Jack laughed as he pulled him deeper into the exhibit. The trees hung heavy with brightly colored birds. Gabriel stopped and pulled his boyfriend closer as they watched the birds in the water swim by. Jack looped his arms around Gabe’s waist and placed his head against his shoulder. They spent a while just slowly walking through the aviary.  
\--  
As Gabe had anticipated, Jack nearly crawled into the cages with the cats at the Cat Complex. If it weren’t for Gabe’s own speed and strength Jack would have put more than just his hand into the cage with the tiger who had sniffed him with indifference before running after his mate. Jack was given a very stern talking to before Gabe let him see the rest of the exhibit and even then Gabriel kept a death grip on his wrist to prevent any more incidents before they left.

Walking up to the dome was probably the most exciting part of this trip yet. Gabe was practically dragging his boyfriend through the crowd to get into the lobby. 

“Up or down?” Jack asked once they had managed to get in the doors.

“What?”

“Come on, Gabe, It’s a simple question. Up to the desert or down to the caves?”

“Caves?” Gabe practically picked Jack up when he grabbed his shoulders. “You never said anything about caves, asshole. We’re saving the best for last and going up first. “Gabe was bouncing on the balls of his feet and shaking an already shaken Jack.

“Surprise, I knew you missed home so I figure a fake cave would do it for you, Batman.” Jack laughed as he pulled the other up a ramp and into the orange desert.

The exhibit was beautiful. The dome itself was made up of triangular panes of glass that trapped the heat necessary for the looming cacti and prickly brushes that lined the path. The sand and rock were orange and in some of the alcoves were metal lizards that were tarnished from people petting them. Everywhere you looked there were wired enclosures all the way up at the top of the faux cliffs to small ponds the ran along the edges. Birds chirped happily, meerkats stood at attention, boars rolled in the dirt, and goats climbed around in their exhibits. A pair of bobcats were asleep in their hammock. Once again, every enclosed area held lizards, snakes, small rodents, and large bugs. Gabe couldn’t help but wonder what the place would have looked like at high noon. Eventually he got impatient and he and Jack hustled through the last area of snakes and back into the lobby.

“Quick Robin to the Batcave!” he exclaimed as the pulled Jack along behind him.

The first thing that greeted them was the naked mole rat display. “Isn’t that Rufus from Kim Possible?” Gabe questioned as he glanced at Jack who’s response was to pull him closer to the glass to watch them rats run through the tubes.

The hall of exhibits opened up into a large cavern, complete with stalagmites and a watery chasm that looked like it went on for miles. Gabriel looked around in awe until he saw the bats. A tunnel shaped cage with a mesh barrier housed hundreds of small cave bats. Jack laughed as he pulled Gabe over and guided his hand to hover just in front of the mesh. Soon bats came to hang on the net to smell his had before quickly fluttering off again. From then on gabe would get as close as he could to the other bat cages in hopes that they would have mesh as well. The caves soon gave way to buoys where alligators floated near the dock. A giant albino alligator thrashed further into its enclosure. 

Beavers hopped in and out of the water, a dam with a glass side rested further down. Massive fish swam under the walkways as they walked into a room of nocturnal section. Gabriel cooed at the bush babies that in turn looked at him with great interest. It was over far too soon for Gabriel’s liking. They walked out of the exhibits and back out onto the concourse by the admissions booths.

“I vote we go back in.”

“Gabriel.” Jacked warned, grabbing his hand and slowly leading him to the exit. “Unless you’ve forgotten we still have another place to go and then we need to try to get as far across this godforsaken state so we can get to the airport tomorrow evening.

Gabriel huffed before he grabbed Jack and lead him in another direction.

“Gabe, what-?” He didn’t get a chance to finish before he realized he was being dragged into the big gift shop. “You are a child, Gabriel Reyes.”

“You know something? You keep saying that but I just watched you try to climb into a cage with a dangerous wild animal because you wanted ‘to pet the kitties’.” Gabe retorted before going over to the sweatshirts.

“Another one for the collection?”

“Oh, of course.” Gabe pulled down a particularly wild tie-dyed shirt with a giraffe on in and turned to Jack.

“What do you think?”

Jack could barely contain himself and when Gabe ended up walking out the door with it on, he had to stop walking for a while in order to catch his breath.

They finally made it to the truck with their new gifts in tow, one for each of the strike team for when they got back. A paw print painting done by a leopard for Ana, a jellyfish paper weight for Torb, and a stuffed penguin for Reinhardt.

“So one more stop?” Gabe asked lacing his fingers through Jack’s.

“One more stop.” Jack said with a small smile on his face as he drove deeper into Omaha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so mad. The last 2 times I've been to the zoo the weather has been kinda crappy so I haven't' gotten to see everything , also they took the netting out and put glass around the bats so you can't let them sniff your hand any more. So mad. But it was actually funny writing this because the Henry Doorly zoo was just named the best zoo in the US.


	8. The Candyman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> EAT EAT EAT!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally we are at the end of the Omaha adventure. Sadly we are almost at the end of the road trip.
> 
> It's been a while since I've been the the old market but I remember it being very cool in high school and I need to go again. I am craving Zio's for some stupid reason. Ugh.

“Are you ready to eat the greasiest pizza ever?”

“What?” Gabe said, looking up from the notebook. Jack had a huge shit eating grin on his face as the turned into a districted with a sign marking it as the ‘Old Market’. He squinted at the familiar words before quickly whipping out his phone and opening his internet app where the list of jewelers was still up.

“-wiener mobile and it was hilarious.”

“What? I think I missed smoothing here.”

Jack just gave him a smile, “Guess it will always be a mystery, huh?”

“Shithead.”

“And you love it!” Jack exclaimed as he parked the beast into a parking spot it shouldn’t fit into and hopped out. Gabriel followed suit. Jack practically ran around the truck to him before grabbing his hand and dragging him down the street.

The market was beautiful. Brick street, brick storefronts with large wooden patios for the restaurants and bars, old style light poles, and there was even a horse trotting down the street. As Gabe examined some of the storefronts more closely he noticed that even the interiors had a classy and almost vintage feel to them.

Jack stopped and drug him into one such store. It smelled like Jack’s house, warm with a slight touch of cinnamon and vanilla. Handmade candles lined the shelfs along with various preserves and jams. Gabe crouched down to study one label while Jack flitted about the store, he had to touch everything.

“Jack, what the fuck are gooseberries? I thought those were just a thing made up in little kids’ books. Also, jalapeno jelly? What?”

Jack laughed as he draped himself over Gabriel’s shoulders and looked at the labels. “I haven’t seen these in forever. Ooo, boysenberry!” Jack grabbed at least five different jars before continuing to walk around the shop.

“You are such a wierdo.”

The cashier laughed as Jack hauled up his finds. They paid and headed back onto the street.

“Is-is that sheep hide?”

Jack hummed an affirmation before continuing past the freaky store front that was hung with actual sheepskins. He wasn’t even phased as he continued his trek to this mysterious pizza place. They walked a while, Gabe couldn’t help but gawk at the specialty shops, one memorable shop was a toy emporium that looked rather creepy with a fake clown sitting in a rocky chair by the door.

“Here we are.” Jack said, drawing his attention, before pulling Gabriel through the door of ‘Zio’s Pizzeria’. The place seemed to be a pretty standard as pizza places go. It had a New York City theme running through it, complete with black and white prints of the workers that built the skyscrapers. Gabe shuddered at the thought of build that high up.

“This is what you are excited for?” Gabe asked as the waitress sat them down and took their drink orders.

“Yup.”

“Why?”

“For nostalgic purposes. We used to visit a place that was almost exactly like this when we went to visit my great-grandparents. One of my cousin’s stumbled upon this place and it became tradition to come here whenever we went through Nebraska. What kind of pizza do you want?”

Gabe looked down at the menu and raised an eyebrow. The selections weren’t the strangest he’d ever seen but they were defiantly not what he was expecting, one of them was topped with Thai food.

“Uh…” he took a moment to consider his options. “How about ‘the grand finale’ with jalapenos.”

“Sounds good to me. Should probably get it in extra-large.”

Gabe nodded in agreement as he started to chug his pop. The waitress came around and took their order, Gabriel took the opportunity after she left to hook his foot under Jack’s causing him so slide to the front of his seat.

“Really?” Jack retorted while bringing his foot up and placing it awkwardly in Gabe’s lap. He used that as a distraction to steal Gabe’s glass and slide it to the furthest corner of the table. Gabriel grabbed his foot and used it to pull the other partially under the table before untying and stealing Jack’s shoe. Jack squawked in protest before rolling under the table.

“Jack? What are you- OH NO YOU DON’T!” Gabe quickly crossed his ankles and tucked his feet under his chair before Jack could finish untying his shoes. Jack managed to bang his head on the table while trying to get out. He glared at his boyfriend as he reclaimed his seat and huffed. Gabe took the chance to steal Jack’s tea and start chugging it.

“Gabi, you shit!” Jack grabbed Gabe’s glass and went to finish it but Gabe grabbed his arm before he got it to his mouth and stole his drink back. He chugged that as well. “Rude!”

“All is fair in love and war.” Gabe chuckled before stifling a burp.

“You disgust me.”

“And yet you love me anyway.”

Jack turned away from him slightly and huffed, he was unable to hide the smile that broke across his face as Gabe handed him his shoe back. The waitress looked very confused when she came back to refill their drinks.

After sometime their pizza came and Gabe wasted no time tearing into the food. Jack was right, it was very greasy, but who cares? Not Gabe. He was pretty sure that everyone in the restaurant was staring at the two big guys in the corner demolishing a pizza like a couple half-starved lions. It didn’t help that he may have growled when Jack went after the same piece as him. Food was a very serious affair for both men. Don’t look, don’t touch.

“So, are we getting dessert too?” Gabe asked after the last of the food was gone. The waitress taking their plates looked at him and then down at the platter before walking off with a strange look on her face.

“Yes but not here.” Jack said as he paid and Gabe tipped. Jack then lead him back out to the street and turned to him. Gabe grabbed him around the waist and kiss him deeply. “First I want to go back over to the emporium.” Jack finished, a little winded from the sudden kiss.

Gabe scrunched up his face before quickly realizing it meant Jack would be occupied. “I actually wanted to go check out a store we passed. How about you check out the creepy emporium and I’ll check out the other place. We can meet back here, sound good?”  


Jack looked strangely relieved as they agreed to text each other when they were done. Jack went one way and Gabe another. Gabe practically sprinted to the dinky little jewelry store earning him more than a few odd looks before he burst through the door and startled the lady behind the counter.

“Uh. May I help you?” she said nervously, taking in the sight of his rumpled clothes and winded state.

“Ah yes. I was wondering what you had in stock for men’s size 12 rings.”

The girl immediately perked up before showing him a handful of already sized rings. Gabe took a moment to consider his options. Two rings caught his attention; one was silver with five small, light blue diamonds set in an ‘s’ shaped curve and the other was gold with a ring of boulder opal running around it. He sighed and rubbed his chin before he brought up a picture of Jack on his phone and showed it to the lady.

“The ring is for this guy. He is a soldier of almost eight years. He’s hard headed, rude, and a pain in my ass. He is also a total dork, selfless, and one of the sweetest guys on the face of this Earth. I need to do this right. Which one would you suggest?”

The girl took a moment to think about it before sighing, “Well first I would say you’re an idiot for limiting yourself to this small of a selection. However, it you are set on buying something now I would say the gold and opal one would do nicely.”

Gabriel considered her words and the rings before nodding and paying for the opal ring. He left the store and headed out to find Jackie. He felt his pocket and let out a shaky breath as he walked before someone jumped on his back and wrapped their legs about his waist.

“I’ve got you now. Muwahahaha!” Jack cackled while burying his nose in Gabe’s hair and placing a kiss against the side of his head.

“Oh no what shall I ever do? I am a goner. Ugh.” Gabe started to pretend to fall before Jack jumped off his back. “Find something good?” he said eyeing the bags in Jack’s hand.

“Of course.” Jack stated simply as he switched the bags to his other hand and laced his now free fingers through Gabe’s. “How about you? You find anything you wanted?”

“Nope.”

“Well darn. Guess you’ll just have to spend the rest of your money at the dusty old candy store.”

“The what now?” Gabe baulked as Jack pulled him down the street and in view of a very sketchy looking building. “Oh…”

Much to Gabe’s horror the store was even more eerie on the inside. Old toys and signs from the 20th century were hung on the walls and scattered on the shelf, some were even for sale. Much to Gabriel and Jack’s pleasure the store held about every American candy imaginable, including things they had never even heard of or thought to be long gone. Needless to say, they spent more than enough money in there.

“Last stop!” Jack declared as they walked across the street, arms linked and hands full. A small ice cream shop sat on the corner. The inside was small but comfortable, the tables and chairs were old and chipped, and a vintage jukebox stood in the entry. The ice cream was to die for. Gabe had to kick Jack so he would stop moaning into the cup of butter pecan ice cream in his hands while Gabe worked over his own double Dutch chocolate cone. They walked slowly towards the truck, taking in more of the buildings and bars they hadn’t had time to visit.

They had to check out a gag store called ‘City Limits’ and ended up buying a tiny book of insults and comebacks and a box of emergency underpants that they planned to gift to Torbjörn. They also stopped by another shop and bought some interesting teas for Ana to try. They already had a bag of candy for Reinhardt which he had requested before they left.

Once they finally made it in to the truck again Gabe made a point of carefully and slowly placing their items in the backseat.

“Alright, asshole, I can take a hint.” Jack said as he smacked Gabe’s butt before the other turned and sat down.

“Wow, this is new to me. The great Jack Morrison can take a hint? Quick call he media!”

“You’re a shit.” Jack laughed as he pulled out onto the street and headed back to the interstate.

“I know. We’re both shit’s” Gabe mumbled as he leaned over to place a kiss on Jack’s cheeks before Jack decided to switch gears hard and cause Gabe to hit the dash. “Ok, wow, fine.”

Jack responded by laughing and revving the engine loudly as they thundered towards the interstate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again thank you so much for your kudos and comments, they are amazing. I love you guys.
> 
> Sadly this series is coming to an end but never fear I have another series starting, though it's not as fluffy. It's a Hitman!AU that will evolve into a reaper76 enemies to friends to lovers thing. (still not really angsty) So if you want to check that out please feel free to.
> 
> [Katrandomtiger](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/katrandomtiger) if you want to follow my lame tumblr you can
> 
> BTW: The book of insults is great. 'If brains were taxed, you'd get a rebate.'


	9. The Propsal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trip draws to a close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is so late. I was having a rough week and didn't want to write.
> 
> I did, however, go back and fix the old chapters so they make a little more sense and flow better so if you want to go back there is some new stuff in there.

It was damn near two in the morning and they were just getting into Colorado.

The temptation to stop at weird little gift shops and attractions had proved too great for them in Nebraska. Jack had wanted to take Gabe to Carhenge in Alliance but that idea was vetoed once Gabe found out how far out of the way it was. He promised Jack they would visit at a later date, for now they rode in relative silence.

The night air was cool and the moon was bright. It was a beautiful and unbroken peace that the two soldiers hadn’t felt in a long time. Gabriel was half tempted to pull out the ring right then and there but he decided that even though it was a good moment he could do better. For now, he was content with the strong finger interlaced with his and the rumble of the diesel engine under the soft orchestral music they had settled on.

“Jack, what are you doing?” Gabe sat up slightly as Jack pulled off the interstate and onto a highway.

“Something I wanted to show you.”

Gabriel relaxed slightly against his seat as Jack continued down the highway for a while before turning down a dirt road. Once all the lights from the houses and intersections were no longer visible he pulled into what looked to be a driveway with no house and turned off the truck. Gabe was about to question him but Jack was out of the truck too fast. Gabe got out and followed.

“Are you trying to get us killed in the middle of nowhere, farm boy?”

Jack had climbed into the bed of the truck and was pulling what looked like blankets out of the toolbox he had mounted across the back, “Come here.”

Gabe shook his head before joining Jack on the make shift bed he had created in the back of his pickup. He even had pillows in there. Jack motioned for him to lay down next to him so he did and to Gabe’s pleasure Jack snuggled up close a threw a blanket over them.

The sky was beautiful.

Thousands of twinkling lights sat proudly against their black velvet backdrop, unhindered by light pollution. The moon shown with all her heart, lighting up the earth. The Rockies were a barely visible shadow in the distance. Crickets sang into the breeze, creating a rolling chorus to serenade the night. But the most beautiful being of all laid next to Gabriel.

“This was always my favorite part of road trips.” Jack sighed as he tucked himself closer to Gabe, “Whenever we traveled at night dad would take us off the road to enjoy the stars. Even out where we live, the light from Bloomington still covered them up.”

Gabriel glanced down at Jack. The man who had forced his way into Gabe’s life, the man who dragged his ass out of fights, who was so selfless that he was almost selfish, and the man who Gabriel loved with his whole heart. He was the most precious thing in Gabriel’s life. Jack was everything to Gabe.

Jack sat up and reached for a bag that had been hidden in the corner of the truck bed and tuned to Gabriel. “I got you something in Omaha. It’s kind of lame but so are you.”

“Wow, thanks Jack, love you too.” Gabe teased as he sat up and took the bag.

Inside was a delicately crafted and carved knife. The sheath was a standard black material with silver embellishments. Gabriel pulled the knife out to revel a marbled steel blade with etched feathers at the base. The hilt was covered by worn leather framed at either end with a plain silver guard and a silver base. The base was covered in delicate swirls meant to imitate a breeze that sent more feathers whirled towards the blade. On the very bottom was a relief of a barn owl face, the eyes dark obsidian stones and the edges ruffled slightly to imitate feathers.

“Holy shit.”

“It’s lame, isn’t it?”

Gabe whipped around to face Jack, taking in the slightly embarrassed look on his face. “Godammit, Jackie.” Gabe grabbed Jack by the collar and yanked him into a bruising kiss. Jack’s mouth opened for a brief moment and Gabriel took the chance to slip his tongue into the other’s mouth. Jack melted into Gabriel and they stayed like that for hours it seemed.

“It was that good?” Jack said once they finally pulled apart.

“Of course it was. This thing is gorgeous.” Gabe huffed as he leaned against Jack and fiddled with the blade.

“Good.”

Gabe set the blade off to the side once he was done mapping the surface of it with the tips of his fingers and turned to Jack. He studied the other man, noticing how the moonlight seemed to make his blond hair turn to white gold. Gabe sighed as he leaned in closer for a chaste kiss before getting up on his knees for better access to his pocket.

“What are you doing?” Jack asked, watching Gabriel struggle to pull something out of his jeans.

“I don’t know. Probably fucking something up but who really knows.”

Jack’s eyebrows drew together in confusion as he let out an awkward chuckle. Gabriel finally managed to pull whatever it was out of his front pocket. He turned to Jack with an intense look that was usually reserved for planning the best way to bomb an omnium.

Gabe froze up as he realized what he was about to do. He shook his head; this was Jack, his Jack. He took a deep breath before looking Jack in the eye and positioning himself onto one knee and pulling out the ring that gleamed in the moonlight. Jack’s eyes grew bigger.

“Jonathon Henry Morrison the third, you have been the biggest pain in my ass since the day we met. From day one you have done nothing but challenge me and piss me off but in those years, you forced me to grow as a person. You forced me to look at others as equals instead of obstacles. You taught me the values of companionship and comradery. You opened my eyes to a new and brighter future that I had never considered before and now, somehow, we are living in it. Jack- “Gabriel choked- “Jack I want you to be a part of that brighter future, I want _you_ to be _my_ brighter future. Will you marry me?”

Gabe was met with silence. He slid back down, almost defeated, before he found his arms full of sobbing blond, farm boy.

“Yes, you fucking idiot!” was all Gabriel could make out through the labored breathing and hitching sobs. Gabriel wrapped his arms around the other and tucked his face into Jack’s hair, breaking down slowly into quiet tears of elation. They sat like that for a while with the moon watching over them.

\--

Once the pair had calmed down to the point that they could crawl out of the truck bed and into the cab they drove back out onto the Interstate. The ring sat proudly on Jack’s hand and the knife found a temporary home on Gabe’s belt. Their hands were in their customary spot, laced together with their forearms against each other’s on the center console.  Christina Aguilera was singing softly in the background.

“So am I changing my name or are we hyphenating?” Jack said finally, startling Gabe out of his daze.

“Uh, hadn’t thought that far ahead yet.”

“How far have you thought this through?” Jack turned at smirked, Gabe turned away to hide his embarrassment, “That far, huh? I thought I was the one to rush in.”

“Well, we kind of had the perfect moment for it so don’t complain.”  Gabe huffed.

“So Morrison-Reyes?”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Reyes-Morrison.”

“But Gabe, that sucks.”

“I proposed, therefore, Reyes-Morrison.”

“I got you a sick knife, therefore, Morrison-Reyes.”

Gabriel groaned and repositioned himself in the seat. The dashboard lights cast a red glow on the giant smile Jack had. “No.”

“Fine. If it’s going to be Reyes-Morrison, then you get to walk the rest of the way to the airport.”

“UGH! Fine! Morrison-Reyes. Whatever.”

“I can see you pouting.”

“Shut up.”

“Shake on it.” Jack said as he pulled their hands apart and held his out.

Gabe grabbed it, trying to hold back a smile, “Fine.”

Jack laughed and pumped his fist in victory before reclaiming his grip on Gabe’s hand.

“You are such a dork.”

“That is Mr. Dork to you, Mr. Morrison-Reyes.”

Gabe’s heart danced at the sound of the name. This was real. He did a little happy dance in his seat causing Jack to laugh again. Gabe’s enthusiasm was contagious and the next thing they knew they were both doing a giddy little dance in their seats.

Jack’s grandma was going to pop a hip dancing at the wedding. They just knew it.

 

Bonus:

As usual getting into the airport and through security was hell. Jack had a couple friends, Sol and Stef, come pick up his truck for safe keeping and to mail off the stuff they couldn’t take to California to them when they got their next assignment. They seemed nice, though Stef almost took Jack’s head off when she brought him down into a celebratory hug. Once they took off in the truck Jack and Gabe had to book it through the airport to their terminal.

Along the way they had to try and dodge the paparazzi that had, once again, managed to find out where they were. Not that they really cared at this point, they were too tired for that. They had been able to grab a few hours of sleep at a sketchy hotel but that wasn’t worth much. They just dodged out of habit now.

TSA was a bitch as usual but what can you expect. Once they were through and free they collapsed into two seats and almost instantly passed out again until boarding time. They had a two-hour wait, why waste it being awake? It wasn’t until they were in California for a few days did they find out a rather sneaky photographer had gotten a shot of Jack passed out with his head against Gabe’s shoulder. The image had, unsurprisingly, been photoshopped to death with the caption ‘ _Captain Morrison on Deathbed?’._

Of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, you guys, I had fun with this. I just wanted them to be happy and this is what happened.  
> All your comments and kudos are so appreciated. You all are wonderful people.
> 
> This may be the end of this story but I will have fluffy spin offs that exist on this time line. That's why this is suddenly a part of a series so... *finger guns*
> 
> Writing a proposal while listening to the [ Overwatch Theme Orchestral Remix](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beZhAL_Fcx8) is fun.  
> [ Dum Spiro Spero - Chris Pilsner](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW7e3Pfi1vM) Was the orchestral piece because why not  
> [Christian Aguilera - Bound To You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUTSZe_2T6U) They were most definitely listening to the 'Burlesque' soundtrack

**Author's Note:**

> I am trying so hard. Please comment if you have suggestions for places for them to stop.


End file.
